I am a proud new owner of a 2004 XJR with 45k miles and would appreciate any recommendations or insights re: maintenance schedule.

My XJR is primarily a weekend/pleasure driver and I hope to keep her for many years.

I would also appreciate any thoughts or experiences in dealer maintenance/repairs vs. independent shops (especially in the Northern Virginia area).

Thanks all!!!


"The Golden Rule: He who has the gold makes the rules."

 

Lol 45 views and no replies? I guess i should get on here often , anyway welcome to Jaguar Forums, and we hope you enjoy your Jaggy as much as we do ours Lol, 45K is nothing for XJR, just take it to your local Jaguar Dealer and get all the filter's and oil changed and you will be fine.

 

Well here is my pennyworth !

Keep to the service intervals recommended in the Owner Handbook, which is every 10,000 miles, OR every 12 months whichever comes round first. If you are doing a lot of very short journeys you might care to change oil and filter more often, but don't extend the service interval at all, although 500 miles over probably wont do any damage.

As an "elderly" motorist brought up on motorcycles, I always check oil level every week, and coolant and tyre pressures about every 2 to 3 weeks. Make sure you have a good concentration of screenwash before winter sets in, but you probably know this anyway. Don't ignore any persistent "funny noises" as they can be the precursor of trouble. People on this forum will give advice.

You don't need to do to a Jaguar Main Agent for normal servicing, as most of the items are straightforward, and many posters on this site do their own.

 

Well boss, I worked in Jaguars for some years now and I disagree with "following the owners handbook". These are my premises:
You say you only use to for weekend driving and that sounds like you don't put too much stress on the engine but oil brakes down due to driving habbits. Jaguar, attemting to compete with other manufacturers, claims longer and longer service intervals but when I look inside the oil cap of a car that changed the synthethic oil every 5000 miles and someone that did it every 7500, I see the difference (what i see is a black glazing on the metal on the second one). Another reason, something most mechanics don't know, Jaguar claims this longer service interval can be done with synthetic oil, but what's legally considered "synthetic oil" in USA is not even considered a synthetic blend in Europe. I recommend change it every 5000 miles, with factory filter, european grade synthetic oil (we use Total or Motul), and most important: a competent technician that will properly inspect the car. Please visit my website www.cartech101.com

Good luck.

 

Lots of short journeys to the golf club and supermarket with the engine not getting warm - yes, 5000 mile changes of oil, but I have just done 7000 since May and the oil started clean and is now still pretty clean, certainly NOT black. I expect I shall have car service in Otober, so to will be around 8000 miles to the change. I tend to do long(ish) trips, and have done several at reasonably high speed for a couple of hours.